Pope undergoes physiotherapy after restful night in hospital
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The 88-year-old pontiff is battling pneumonia and continues with treatment and physiotherapy, according to the Vatican’s update.
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A man prays for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, March 8, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since February 14. (AP)
Pope Francis underwent physiotherapy on Saturday after a restful night, the Vatican reported. The 88-year-old pontiff is battling pneumonia and continues with treatment and physiotherapy, according to the Vatican’s update. His night was described as "calm" in an earlier briefing.
Francis, who had part of his lung removed in his youth, has been receiving care in a special papal suite at Rome's Gemelli hospital since February 14. Despite experiencing several respiratory crises, his condition has been described as "stable" for several days. However, the Vatican stated that he remains in a "complex clinical condition," and "the prognosis remains guarded."
On Thursday, Francis released an audio message for the first time since his hospitalization, thanking those who have been praying for his recovery. In the message, he sounded weak and breathless, saying, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square. I accompany you from here," while pausing to catch his breath.
Health updates remain transparent
The pope spent most of Friday resting and praying, including about 20 minutes in the chapel within his hospital suite. He alternates between using an oxygen mask at night and a cannula, which delivers high-flow oxygen during the day.
Despite his condition, he continues to work when possible. On Saturday, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin read a message from the pope during Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The pope had worked on the message from the hospital just a few days earlier, on March 5.
For greater transparency, the Vatican has been providing daily updates on the pope’s condition, including his sleep and medical status.
On Thursday, it was announced that, due to his stable condition, no medical bulletin would be issued on Friday evening. The next update is expected later on Saturday.
The pope, who has been hospitalized for extended periods in the past, has missed his last three Sunday Angelus prayers from the Gemelli balcony. The Vatican press office mentioned that it is "quite probable" that the Angelus would be delivered this Sunday in the same format as the previous weeks, via a letter released at noon.
This hospitalization is the most serious of Pope Francis' papacy, following a series of health issues over the past few years, including colon surgery in 2021 and a hernia operation in 2023.
